Walter S. Gideon
Agency patch
Police Officer

Walter S. Gideon

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch March 13, 1919
Age 44
Tour of Duty 10 yrs 6 mo
Badge 2816
The Vigil Panel 36 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Walter Gideon succumbed to gunshot wound 10 years earlier when he and another officer engaged in a gunfight with two suspected thieves in an alley near 18th and Berks streets.

Police Officer Gideon served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 10 and a half years,

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-EC6C5902
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Gideon gave the Philadelphia Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Gideon.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 13, 1919
Tour of Duty 10 yrs 6 mo
Age 44
Badge Number 2816
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer Walter S. Gideon is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department
162
of 378 officers
42.9% Felonious
PA — Statewide
597
of 1,261 officers
47.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter S. Gideon's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Walter S. Gideon Compares

Age at Death
44
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
10.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter S. Gideon is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Walter S. Gideon was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location